Showing posts with label law school application. Show all posts
Showing posts with label law school application. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
one down, ten more to go
I officially got accepted to the University of Pittsburgh School of Law...YAY! Yeah it's not my first choice but I was jumping up and down when I read "CONGRATULATIONS!" LOL..anyway, I can't wait to hear from the other 10 schools I applied to....
So interview today went well but I have to go in for a second interview tomorrow...still praying that everything works out with the other firm but hey at least I have a backup....
So interview today went well but I have to go in for a second interview tomorrow...still praying that everything works out with the other firm but hey at least I have a backup....
Sunday, October 12, 2008
more reflecting
As I mentioned in my previous entry, I am having a difficult time letting the paper go. I still feel the need to add that another dynamic to it. But I'm not sure how necessary it is to be more explicit about my experiences about being a woman.
I realized that I tackled being an immigrant, being Filipino and coming from a low-middle class background. Writing this personal statement really allowed me to reflect on how I see myself and my experiences and the fact that it was not until someone pointed out to me that I have not talked about being a woman was interesting.
At the same time, I am having difficulties in figuring out what exactly about being a woman do I want to talk about. Yes, double standard (gender stereotyping in occupations) in my own community exists. Because of the possible conflict it may cause with starting a family, my desire to pursue a career in law is often met with a frown of disapproval. But then again I am hesitant to write about this because I'm not sure how helpful it is. Yes it adds another dynamic to the story but it never consciously affected the way I view myself. I have a wonderful feminist father who never allowed me to even think that I am not capable of doing something because of my gender.
But that example mixes in the fact that I am Filipino-American. The lines between each layer of my identity tends to be blurred and it's more complicated than separating each layer into its own paragraph. I guess it's hard because being a woman often takes the backdrop to my experiences.
I realized that I tackled being an immigrant, being Filipino and coming from a low-middle class background. Writing this personal statement really allowed me to reflect on how I see myself and my experiences and the fact that it was not until someone pointed out to me that I have not talked about being a woman was interesting.
At the same time, I am having difficulties in figuring out what exactly about being a woman do I want to talk about. Yes, double standard (gender stereotyping in occupations) in my own community exists. Because of the possible conflict it may cause with starting a family, my desire to pursue a career in law is often met with a frown of disapproval. But then again I am hesitant to write about this because I'm not sure how helpful it is. Yes it adds another dynamic to the story but it never consciously affected the way I view myself. I have a wonderful feminist father who never allowed me to even think that I am not capable of doing something because of my gender.
But that example mixes in the fact that I am Filipino-American. The lines between each layer of my identity tends to be blurred and it's more complicated than separating each layer into its own paragraph. I guess it's hard because being a woman often takes the backdrop to my experiences.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
how can I ignore
I was given advice that my personal statement needs a little bit of tweaking so that I stand out and one thing that I didn't do is talk about my experience of being a WOMAN of color.
Isn't it awful that my focus has always been on being Filipino first, then being an immigrant, then coming from a low-middle class background before I even thought about what it means to be a woman?
Has it been embedded in my head the limitations and hopelessness of my gender that I subconsciously ignore its implications?
Growing up, family has always emphasized two things: education and making a family. As soon as I graduated from college, the first question asked was when I am getting married and when I will have kids. Now my family means well and I know they don't mean to insult me but why is that question only target the females of my generation. My 32 year old cousin, who is beautiful, smart and a wonderful person gets the same interrogation at every family party.
My dad always encouraged me to do well in school because he does not want my future husband to take advantage of me. My mom taught me how to clean, cook etc...so that my future husband will not think less of me. Mixed messages or what?
Filipino culture has a lot of many great things about it including respecting women but equality isn't always at the top of the list.
Anyway, there's a lot to think about and reflect on regarding this topic especially since I am guilty myself for ignoring the big PINK elephant in the room.
Isn't it awful that my focus has always been on being Filipino first, then being an immigrant, then coming from a low-middle class background before I even thought about what it means to be a woman?
Has it been embedded in my head the limitations and hopelessness of my gender that I subconsciously ignore its implications?
Growing up, family has always emphasized two things: education and making a family. As soon as I graduated from college, the first question asked was when I am getting married and when I will have kids. Now my family means well and I know they don't mean to insult me but why is that question only target the females of my generation. My 32 year old cousin, who is beautiful, smart and a wonderful person gets the same interrogation at every family party.
My dad always encouraged me to do well in school because he does not want my future husband to take advantage of me. My mom taught me how to clean, cook etc...so that my future husband will not think less of me. Mixed messages or what?
Filipino culture has a lot of many great things about it including respecting women but equality isn't always at the top of the list.
Anyway, there's a lot to think about and reflect on regarding this topic especially since I am guilty myself for ignoring the big PINK elephant in the room.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Grateful
to everyone who has been helping me with my lsat applications. I really am blessed with wonderful people in my life.
Next round of drafts will occupy my weekend but as Mr. Train says, "it's time well spent."
Next round of drafts will occupy my weekend but as Mr. Train says, "it's time well spent."
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Guess what I'm doing!
I reformatted my resume/cv and got it down to 3 pages from 7 pages. Why so long? Well I wanted to show my first draft readers who I am and what I have done over the years and I'm sorry my work experience ended up being 3 pages long, community/volunteer work another 3 pages and then there were the awards which was 1 page (all from high school! hahaha)
My personal statement on the other hand isn't as easy to edit
I received great and useful feedbacks, the problem now is how to fix it.....
"I am very proud and impressed by all you have done. You are truly a remarkable person, Mari!"
"You have to show them all this clearly and concisely without actually saying that you¡¦re telling them all this (avoid words like "motivation¨, "potential", etc. You have to show them, not tell
them). Honestly, I didn't really get that from your statement."
"'If I were you I'd think of any experiences you have had that dealt specifically with the law or legal matters (including research papers you might have done, stories you know about from your community or volunteer work, etc) in order to add to your explanation about why you want to go to law school specifically and not, say, a school of education or....."
"What happened to the story about you working full time because of your father's accident? Yes, it's an interesting story, but not compelling enough. You're not just an immigrant, you're an immigrant plus. I know there's more to you"
My personal statement on the other hand isn't as easy to edit
I received great and useful feedbacks, the problem now is how to fix it.....
"I am very proud and impressed by all you have done. You are truly a remarkable person, Mari!"
"You have to show them all this clearly and concisely without actually saying that you¡¦re telling them all this (avoid words like "motivation¨, "potential", etc. You have to show them, not tell
them). Honestly, I didn't really get that from your statement."
"'If I were you I'd think of any experiences you have had that dealt specifically with the law or legal matters (including research papers you might have done, stories you know about from your community or volunteer work, etc) in order to add to your explanation about why you want to go to law school specifically and not, say, a school of education or....."
"What happened to the story about you working full time because of your father's accident? Yes, it's an interesting story, but not compelling enough. You're not just an immigrant, you're an immigrant plus. I know there's more to you"
Sunday, September 7, 2008
50-50
The first twelve years of my life was spent in the Philippines. The last twelve in the United States. I reached what I call a 50-50 part of my life because this is the first time since moving to America when I have lived equally as long in the Philippines and the United States. In a couple of months, I will be turning twenty-five years old and I would have lived in the United States longer than I lived in the Philippines. Does that make me more American and less Filipino? I’m not really sure why I split my life into these two distinct parts but I just do.
Moving to America was such a significant moment in my life not just because of geography but the awareness of privilege and inequality at the same time, the realization of limitless possibilities that America has to offer but then looking at the color of my skin and realizing the barriers. America is so ironic....or maybe it's just confused. We claim to believe in one thing but continue to do something else. We preach equality and liberty abroad by bringing out guns and billions of dollars in funds but our home, our own country is filled with homeless veterans, majority white and male CEO's, and health care system that doesn't even exist for all Americans.
All these years the question of identity remains the same, it’s still a question. I am Filipino living in America. I guess that makes me Filipino-American. I can't deny that this country has grown on me and I have began to affiliate myself with being American more than being Filipino even though I still don't know the lyrics to the Star-Spangled banner (but what percentage of "real" Americans actually know ALL the words?). Everyone claims that going back to the homeland makes you realize how American you were and they were every bit correct. I have never felt ashamed of my accomplishments and blessings than when I went back. I was surrounded by houses made out of cardboard boxes and thin pieces of plywood, "child" vendors selling cigarettes, my driver paying the cop 200 pesos to get out of a ticket, and my grandpa, a 50 year chairman of the board for Tanay Water District, dying of cancer without health insurance. Maybe America isn't so bad afterall?
I guess I’m just at a very reflective state with all these writing and re-writing of personal statements, supplements and addendums. I’ve accomplished a lot in the past twelve years but never really look back to what I have done the first twelve years. Was I just too young to remember? Did I not accomplish anything when I lived there? Maybe I really did leave my childhood in the Philippines. I think I grew up when I was twelve.
Monday, September 1, 2008
facing the law school application process
It's been a pretty productive weekend as I -
I still have a lot to do but thank goodness to "For People of Color, Inc.'s" annual review of law school application materials, I have a super early deadline. I hope I can finish everything so I can turn it in for their review. I need all the help that I can get.
Even though I still feel a little intimidated by this whole process, I'm not as overwhelmed. It will just be a matter of really devoting my free time into this whole thing and taking it one step at a time.
P.S.
Happy sweet 16 Babe!
Happy 24th Birthday Madel!
- drafted personal statement
- prepared elongated resume
- drafted standardized testing Addendum
- paid for LSDAS registration
I still have a lot to do but thank goodness to "For People of Color, Inc.'s" annual review of law school application materials, I have a super early deadline. I hope I can finish everything so I can turn it in for their review. I need all the help that I can get.
Even though I still feel a little intimidated by this whole process, I'm not as overwhelmed. It will just be a matter of really devoting my free time into this whole thing and taking it one step at a time.
P.S.
Happy sweet 16 Babe!
Happy 24th Birthday Madel!
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
1 step forward, 2 steps back
My Guide to the Law School Application process for People of Color (thanks Katrina!) tells me that it is "imperative that you do not allow your personal insecurities and feelings of self doubt hinder your law school application" but I swear as soon as I wrote my last blog entry (see below), it was like, my first draft was no good.
Still have not let anyone read it...I still think it's crap. Geez when am I going to get this thing done??? So I'm back where I started.
Still have not let anyone read it...I still think it's crap. Geez when am I going to get this thing done??? So I'm back where I started.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Can you believe it?
I actually have a draft! Three months later and I am with a draft. LOL. Still slightly shy to publish it...probably only going to show it to one or two persons but I am quite satisfied...At least I got it down to 2.5 pages single spaced which is not so bad considering I had maybe 15-20 free writes that didn't really make sense. I'm sure Harper is going to tear my draft apart but at least I have something to show for. Uggh, now I hope he has enough time to actually read it.
Not looking forward to work tomorrow, I have to be in early (even though we're not suppose to be working overtime) because I have a deposition to prepare for and they are prepping the expert at 9AM.
I just keep wanting to work on my applications. Why does work have to get in the way? Can I go to law school already??? GEEZ!
This weekend was great, had a blast at Eugene's fake going away thing and at Madel's super early birthday =) , drank too much, ate too much, didn't work out...hahah better get back into the workout/eating healthy routine starting tomorrow.
Not looking forward to work tomorrow, I have to be in early (even though we're not suppose to be working overtime) because I have a deposition to prepare for and they are prepping the expert at 9AM.
I just keep wanting to work on my applications. Why does work have to get in the way? Can I go to law school already??? GEEZ!
This weekend was great, had a blast at Eugene's fake going away thing and at Madel's super early birthday =) , drank too much, ate too much, didn't work out...hahah better get back into the workout/eating healthy routine starting tomorrow.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
This is going to be long, random and probably full of nonsense (hmm sounds like my personal statement!)
Weekend update (before my rant about my personal statement)
After a long week at work (including a 14 hour shift on friday night which is the only thing I remember from this week, probably because it was the most recent, most tiring day ever), i was most definitely looking forward to the weekend.
my plans were..........................to do ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!
oh okay, that was a lie...what I really meant was to do absolutely nothing work related.
Friday night was wine, wii and pizza. Saturday was cleaning our house (hey, it's therapeutic), laundry, gym and a little bit of shopping with shell (oh and I tried working on my personal statement but i failed at that!), and some more wii. Today was bible study, church, lunch with Marc and his sisters plus the kiddos, then I finally worked on my personal statement(i still have nothing!) and hellboy.
I must say this was a very productive (except for my failure at writing a decent draft of my personal statement) and relaxing weekend...finally.
You don't have to read this part because it will be long and probably won't even make sense.
So anyway, my main reason for blogging tonight is not because I want to bore you with the details of my weekend (but it is my blog and I will write whatever I want) but because I need help/really need to vent because I am so frustrated at myself.
For some reason, I absolutely cannot write a personal statement. Oh I have tried, I have maybe 14 drafts, all one pagers, single spaced, all a variation of the other, all absolutely worthless. So why do I want to be a lawyer?? What is so awesome about me that even with my crappy LSAT score and mediocere gpa, a good law school should take me??!!!! The most frustrating part is the fact that I can come up with plenty of reasons why I want to be a lawyer and why I think they should take me but none of them are good enough....now I am starting to doubt myself because if I can't even articulate who I am and what I can offer, how can I even make a good lawyer?
I know I know, LSAT scores and even gpas, awesome law school blah blah blah do not necessarily translate into a good lawyer but even so, I still wish that things didn't have to be so difficult. I hate excuses and I hate sucking at this. Can I just have a moment of enlightenment and write this damn thing??? I'm definitely running out of time...................
So I will just freewrite...maybe it will be less intimidating when it's a blog vs. a word document?
I realized I wanted to be a lawyer.........
-When I was in the 8th grade, after a year of being in the U.S. My eight grade government teacher chose me to defend the person accused of murder in our mock trial I lost that case even though I prepared for it so well and got an A. Jury favored the popular guy in my class who barely worked on his argument. I hate failing....
-In the 10th grade, my mom took me to an immigration lawyer to help her translate some legal terms and the lawyer was amazing. It seemed like she actually cared about my family's situation.
-Freshman year of college when I was first introduced to Ethnic Studies, PASS and many social injustices, I realized that I want to do my part.
-Junior year of college when my dad was injured on the job and due to instances beyond our control he had to retire from work. S
-Same year, our tenants sued my parents (we eventually win this case after several thousand dollars later in attorney fees, equity loss etc, I promised myself that no one will take advantage of me, anyone in my family and friends ever again.)
And I really want to be a lawyer because
-there is nothing else out there that I want to do
-I work crazy hours at work, see the bullshit associates have to put up with, know what kind of people lawyers turn into (and some I can say are just awful), basically I know exaclty what I'm getting into and I STILL WANT IT
-the law is absolutely beautiful and ugly at the same time..the interpretations, the context, the consequences..it's just amazing what it can and cannot do
-I KNOW that this is what I was meant to do...everywhere I look, injustices happen and I know I have to do something about it and the only way I can I think is to become a lawyer.....
hmmmmmmmm and I still have nothing.
battery is dying..better save draft/publish post...more later on........
After a long week at work (including a 14 hour shift on friday night which is the only thing I remember from this week, probably because it was the most recent, most tiring day ever), i was most definitely looking forward to the weekend.
my plans were..........................to do ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!
oh okay, that was a lie...what I really meant was to do absolutely nothing work related.
Friday night was wine, wii and pizza. Saturday was cleaning our house (hey, it's therapeutic), laundry, gym and a little bit of shopping with shell (oh and I tried working on my personal statement but i failed at that!), and some more wii. Today was bible study, church, lunch with Marc and his sisters plus the kiddos, then I finally worked on my personal statement(i still have nothing!) and hellboy.
I must say this was a very productive (except for my failure at writing a decent draft of my personal statement) and relaxing weekend...finally.
You don't have to read this part because it will be long and probably won't even make sense.
So anyway, my main reason for blogging tonight is not because I want to bore you with the details of my weekend (but it is my blog and I will write whatever I want) but because I need help/really need to vent because I am so frustrated at myself.
For some reason, I absolutely cannot write a personal statement. Oh I have tried, I have maybe 14 drafts, all one pagers, single spaced, all a variation of the other, all absolutely worthless. So why do I want to be a lawyer?? What is so awesome about me that even with my crappy LSAT score and mediocere gpa, a good law school should take me??!!!! The most frustrating part is the fact that I can come up with plenty of reasons why I want to be a lawyer and why I think they should take me but none of them are good enough....now I am starting to doubt myself because if I can't even articulate who I am and what I can offer, how can I even make a good lawyer?
I know I know, LSAT scores and even gpas, awesome law school blah blah blah do not necessarily translate into a good lawyer but even so, I still wish that things didn't have to be so difficult. I hate excuses and I hate sucking at this. Can I just have a moment of enlightenment and write this damn thing??? I'm definitely running out of time...................
So I will just freewrite...maybe it will be less intimidating when it's a blog vs. a word document?
I realized I wanted to be a lawyer.........
-When I was in the 8th grade, after a year of being in the U.S. My eight grade government teacher chose me to defend the person accused of murder in our mock trial I lost that case even though I prepared for it so well and got an A. Jury favored the popular guy in my class who barely worked on his argument. I hate failing....
-In the 10th grade, my mom took me to an immigration lawyer to help her translate some legal terms and the lawyer was amazing. It seemed like she actually cared about my family's situation.
-Freshman year of college when I was first introduced to Ethnic Studies, PASS and many social injustices, I realized that I want to do my part.
-Junior year of college when my dad was injured on the job and due to instances beyond our control he had to retire from work. S
-Same year, our tenants sued my parents (we eventually win this case after several thousand dollars later in attorney fees, equity loss etc, I promised myself that no one will take advantage of me, anyone in my family and friends ever again.)
And I really want to be a lawyer because
-there is nothing else out there that I want to do
-I work crazy hours at work, see the bullshit associates have to put up with, know what kind of people lawyers turn into (and some I can say are just awful), basically I know exaclty what I'm getting into and I STILL WANT IT
-the law is absolutely beautiful and ugly at the same time..the interpretations, the context, the consequences..it's just amazing what it can and cannot do
-I KNOW that this is what I was meant to do...everywhere I look, injustices happen and I know I have to do something about it and the only way I can I think is to become a lawyer.....
hmmmmmmmm and I still have nothing.
battery is dying..better save draft/publish post...more later on........
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Thursday, January 31, 2008
2 more days
i am soo tired of studying for the lsats...ugghh..i hope i do okay so i don't have to retake it in june.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
bubbly
lsat class + rigatoni + coffee to wake me up + thinking the girls are going to down town san jose + improv wine night instead after flakers flake = 3 drunk roomies
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
LSATs are kicking my ass
as the vendor in Mexico told May after not buying the engraved key...."Suck you!"
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